Manufacture of flour.



C. A. PATTERSON. MANUFACTURE 0F FLOUR. APPLICATION FILED AUM, I9'II.`

Lwl PIenIed @30.11915 ,15 lyA 15156 altares,

MANUFACT'URE OF FLCUR.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, CLARENCE A. PATTER- scN, a resident of Winona, in the county of Winona and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in the Manufacture of Flour, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description The invention relates to the treatment of wheat preparatory to grinding it into flour.

ln the manufacture of flour from wheat, treatment of the Wheat before being ground, so that the greatest amount of flour of the highest and best quality will be produced, has long been a desideratum.

lt has long been recognized that the use of chemicals for treating the Wheat, results in what is generallyr'egarded as an adulterated product and for-that reason such treat-l ment has not found favor and has been prohibited. Most high grade wheat-deurs are more or less yellow when freshly milled, and although the flour fades somewhat, after it is stored for a period in a welldighted place, the yellow tint remains more or less and to overcome this tint,.various'bleaching processes have been introduced into the flour mills, but the bleaching agent employed, usually peroaid, has been regarded as containing substances injurious to the health, and thisdour possesses inferior bread-making properties, "particularly, if material quantities of bleaching-agents are employed. ln practice it vhas also been found that artilicial heat for drying out the wheat causes it to becoinc brittle and lifeless; and that treatingv the wheat with steam causes discoloration of the flour. A. large percentage of water in flour is regarded as conducive to unsoundness, and the interior constituents of the wheat, especially the soluble proteins and acids are acted upon by moisture in the presence of heat and causing fermentation in the'lour, which produces sourness.

@ne object of the present invention'is to provide an improved method for treating 'wheat preparatory to grinding it into flour,- which avoids, the use of chemicals, artificial.

heat, and steam, and the resultant deterioration of the flour, but which causes thel deur to'be perfectly White and of the highest possible grado or quality.

Specification of Letters iatent. l

method hereinafter set forth, which lincludes Application filed August 3, 1911. Serial No. 642,199.

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' the wheat-berries, in such manner that the necessity of drying out the wheat artificially by heat or steam and resultant discoloration of the flour, will be avoided.

v In practice it has been found peatedly moistening the interior of the wheat, and then tempel for a suflicient period, and w ing the wheat to artificial he whitens and improves the e wheat. Furthermore the inte and fibrous pulp are whiteitr ened and the exterior easily separated from the nous substancesn Bj ente it has been found that re l cleaning and tempering of the proper conditions and regulatie the wheat, when ground, to mane flour of the highest grade. lt also o found that a single wettingv of the grain y not cause all the moisture necessary to ti e. the interior substances of the wheat, so t when ground the product will be improved thereby'. n l

lt is furthermore important in the artjof.

milling our, when attempt is made to meisten the wheat preparatory to grinding, that excessive moisture in the flour avoided, and in practice "l have found that by repeatedly oisteningthe wheat withthe proper quantities of water ,and continuing tempering the wheat for the proper. period the resultant product will. be perfectlywhite 9a flour, will not contain excessive moisture, and will, in fact, be as white as when the bleaching process heretofore employed was used. Furthermore, by the improved repeated wetting, tempering, and cleaning, and treating the moist wheat to a current or blast of cold air, new wheat will be treated in such manner that when milled,"it will,

at the outset, produce a normal loaf of bread, because the necessary fermentation changes will rapidly occur during and be facilitated by the process.

Heretofore in wetting wheat to facilitate removal of the husks or covers, or in moisteningA the .wheat and then treating the Wheat with artificial heat, the grain has been imperfectly or indift'erently treated and another object of the invention is to provide an improved process or method which will insure uniform and proper moistening of the grain to cause the product to be free from woodyliber, germ, and all other impure substances and to be a high grade and perfectly white iiour.

The invention consists in the improvevments hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

The drawing illustrates diagrammatically a plant embodying an apparatus for carrying out the improved process.

The improved process is carried out in the following manner: The wheat is first cleaned to remove the straw, chan" and other substances from the wheat; next it is thoroughly cleaned in a milling separator and then conducted to aseries of storage bins. A certain percentage of wheat vis drawn from each bin and mixed together, and next it is weighed, or measure-d. 1n weighed and regular quantity, the wheat is delivered into a miXing-conveyer into which water is introduced in regulated quantity, (according to dryness,.of thewheat) and suiiicient for all moisture which the wheat will absorb. By measuring the quantity of water supplied to this mixing conveyor, the

miller will know exactly'how much water is being mixed with each bushel of wheat and can maintain an even and proper mixture of water and wheat. The purpose of thoroughly wetting the wheat is to cause all the moisture possible to penetrate to the center of each kernel of wheat, to Whiten and toughen the interior substances, and

the interior fibrous pulp and to toughen the j capacity during the operation of the plant.

Next the tempered and wiet wheat is drawn from the tempering bin and treated in 'a milling separator, wherein the wheat is subjected only lto a moderate blast or suction to avoid carrying off too much of the moisture from the wheat. Next, if there is cockle in the wheat, it is subjected to treatment in a cockie machine, and if not, then the wheat is scoured and in the scouring-machine it-is subjected to only a moderate suction f y bin is kept continuously full.

In transit through the first tempering bin the milling separator and scouring machine, the wheat will lose some of its moisture and for this reason it is moistened in themixing conveyera second time and is permitted. to remain in a second tempering-bin to which it is delivered after having been moistened a second time, so that the wheat will absorb moisture in the second tempering bin. After being tempered in this last mentioned bin the wheat is again scoured and passed through a scouring machine, and is again moistened in a mixing-conveyor, to which the grain and water are `delivered in regulated and measured quantity, and the supply of 'water will again be all that the wheat will absorb, to further toughen the constituents of the Wheat and to prevent the husks from breaking into small particles while being ground. After being moistened the third time, the wheat is conducted to two air-tight tempering-bins each having a capacity of bushel of wheat for each barrel of grinding capacity of the mill for a 24 hour run, and which is kept continuously full. In these air-tight tempering-bins, the wheat is subjected to a blast of cold air, the

wheat column being divided or separated as it passes through the bins to cause a'll of the grain to bethoroughly subjected to the air blast. The cold air current at this stage of the process, equalizes the tempering and Whitening of the internal substances, carries 0E excessive moisture in the wheat, if any, and vif there is no excess of moisture, the aircurrent is regulated according to the moisture in the Wheat, or may be shut oli' if there is no excess, as the tempering and whitening of the wheat 'may require. If it is found that the Wheat contained in the last mentioned tempering bins does not contain suii'- cient moisture, this may be supplied by increasing the amount of Water supplied to the wheat in the earlier steps of the process. If

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isieeaoe um what el uw 'ae-agit use ze which a is .pering hins through which the' air-blast is forced, vit is scoured in a scouring 'machine and passed through a milling-separator both of which, should `have only moderate suc tion, to avoid removing too much of the moisture. Next the wheat is conducted to a mixing conveyorl to 'which Water in incasn ured and regulated quantity is .supplied and only sucient to keep the tempering and whitening yprocess constant, until thel Wheat reaches the grinding rolls. From the last mentioned mixing-conveyor the Wheat is de livereol 'to a hin having a capacity of 2; bushel oit-Wheat foreach barrel o'our o the grinding capacity of the mill for a 2e hour run. From this bin the Wheat is delivered to au automatic Weighin apparatus by which the tempered and Whiteneol Wheat, in measured quantities is delivered to the first loiealrl rolls.

lln the successful conduct and operation of this tempering and Whitening processj it requires from 36 to il-.8 hours for the treatment, from the time oi the first wetting of the Wheat to the grinding in the rst break relis. The process thus exemplies, one hy which the Wheat is repeatedly and successively moistened and tempered, and is otheru "Wiso treated so that the tempering and Whitening process is maintained for a period ranging from 36 to i8 hours.

' ltwill be observed that the use of cheinicals electrioit 1 lime hot-air live-steam and hot-Water are all avoided in the im# proved process and thereby the drying-out, discoloration or deterioration of they Hour made from the wheat, is also avoided.

in the apparatus illustrated in the dra-u7m ing' as an exernpliiication of one employed in carrying out the invention, l designates 4a suitable building or structure containing the apparatus, and 3 a short elevatonleg for conducting the Wheat to a scaiping separator @t having a strong,I suction ior removing straw, chaii2 and other coarse substances from the Wheat. Another short elevatorleg 5 conducts the Wheat from separator el,

to a milling separator 6 for more thoroughly cleaning'4 the Wheat. 'Along elevator leg i eievates the Wheat from separator 6 to a series of storage loins 8. it, certain percentage of grain is drawn from. each oi these loins and mixed, to maintain/a certain percentage of niiilin-g; qualit?, and passes throughl discharge-spente: ik', to a mixingiiopper i0, from which the 'ivheat is conducted' hy a discharge-spout llgto the hoot of elevator-leg 'i' by Which it is again elevated to the cupola of the elevatlor and there dispipes each bushel of Wheat,

charged by a distributing-spout l2 into the hopper oit an automatic recording; and seliduinping Weighing scale 12e., which dehvers the Wheat into a spiral or screw 'rainning-conV veyer 13 located in the cupola oi the elevator and mill. As the Wheat enters conveyor 13, Water is mixed with it, the Water being de livered from a supply tank iii. through two regulating valves. @ne of these valves is to regulate 'the flow' of the Water., While the' other tivo valves are for shutting oit' the Water entirely. The water passes to cons veyer i3 through two high quality Watermeters i5, which register the quantity ci the "water used in il. S. gallons. The quasar tity othe Water to he supplied and mixed with the Wheat in conveyor i3. tviil he in accordance with the condition and quality of the v/heat and to supply all 'the'rnoisture, which the Wheat will ahsorh. liz' the Wheat is hard and very dry it will absorb about two. and onesfourth Ei. allons oi' Water to the bushel in the summer one and three-fourths il. S. gallons of Water to the bushel in Wintera andthe Wet Wheat is discharged into a tempering hin i6. is a weii known fact, that on account of the low ternperature in the Winter., Wheat sorh the amount of water that it the summer, but the freezing 'of the Wheat and Water is very benecial in whitening' toughening the internal substances.

Viitli the automatic recording' and dumping 'Weighing scales l2@ reg'st in bushels, and the water meters l5 reiste ing in U. h5. gallons, the miller 1will know exactly how much Water he can inizi 'with and maintain an even mixture of Wheat and Water. The object oi.' such thorough wetting is to cause ali the moisture possible to penetrate to the center of each kernel of wlfieat to Whiten and toughen the interior .substances The eX- terior fibrous coatings are aise toughened so that they can loe easily separated from the starchy and glu-tinous ,substance-s, and will not break up into minute jgarticies in grind-- ing, and 'therefore can be easily separated oy the holting machines.

Tempering bin lo pre'nu has a fourn opening hoppenhottoin if, and has a capao ity for storing` cir: bushels of 'vl o i barrel of the ni .ls actuai grim can. for each tiven i c' .hours7 tice hin loe hoot co filled to its uh capacity during tionor1 toe gola;

From the tempering bin Iii? is drawn on throueia the disch to a milling atcr it? which should he onilv n removing; too much of the vincr Wheat. @thence io; each et which is provided with tivo.

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be run to a cockl/e lmachine 20, or if there is no cockle in the wheat, then direct from `the separator 19 to a scouring machine 21, which, also, should havebut moderate suction.

The wheat flows through a discharge spout 22 to the boot of an elevator-leg 23 which delivers it through a discharge-spout 24,' into ,a spiral or screw mixing-conveyer 25. Here the wheat is again mixed with water from supply-tank 26, the water passing through a pipe 27, which is provided with two regulating valves, oneof which v regulates the flow of the water, while the other shuts oil` the water entirely.` The water in pipe 27 flows through a high quality water meter 27, which registers the quantity of the water used in U. S. gallons.-

J The quantity of the water to be supplied and mixed with the wheat in conveyer 25, will be all the wheat can absorb to maintainv the continuity of the tempering and whitening process.

From mixing-conveyer 25, the wheat Hows through a discharge spout 28 to an elevator- -leg 29 which elevates it and ldischarges it into a' tempering-bin 30. This tempering bin has a four-opening hopper bottom, andA has a capacity for storing four bushels of Wheat for each barrel of the inills actual grinding capacity for each twenty-four hours run, and is kept continuously filled lto its full capacity. The wheat in transit from the tempering bin 16 to the conveyer 25, has lost a portion of its moisture, and for this reason further time and opportunity for the' absorption of water is given by its storage in tempering-bin 30.

, regulates the flow of the water, while the other shuts off the water entirely. This water flows through a high quality water meter 34d, in this pipe, and registers'the quantity of the water used in U. S. gallons. The quantity of the water to be supplied and mixed with thewheat in conveyer 33, will be all the wheat can absorb moisture to toughen the wheat coatings, if they are found to be too dry, so that the bran will liake ofi", and not break up into small partifcles while grinding through the rolls.

From the conveyer 33, the wheat flows through a discharge spout 35 to an elevator leg 36 which elevates it into a dischargespout 37 which delivers the wheat into two round galvanized steel air-tight temperingbins 38, each of which4 has a capacity for storing one-half bushel of wheat for each barrel of the mills actual grinding capacity for each twenty-four hours run, and are kept continuously filled to their full capacity. These bins are each provided withv ing froma blower 45, discharges a blastbeneath and through the spreader 41 in each bin 38, so that the cold air-currents will pass upward through the dome-openings in the two lower spreaders and strike l the top spreader 39. Branch-pipes 46 connect each bin with an exhaust-pipe L7 which leads to the atmosphere. The currents of cold air through the pipes l may be regulated as desired, by gates or valves 48' in each pipe. Providing the cold air-currents at this stage of the process, equalizes the tempering and whitening at this point, and if the wheat contains too much moisture the excess will be removed by blowing cold air through the wheat, and if the wheat is found not to contain enough moisture, the air-currents can be regulated or shut off entirely, as the tempering and whitening of the wheat may require. If, at this point, the wheat in tempering bins 38 does not contain enough moisture, more water should be mixed with the wheatduring earlier steps of the process. The wheat in the tempering-bins 38, if found to be too dry, can be given'more water at a subsequent stage of theprocess.

From the Atempering-bins 38, the wheat flows to a scouring machine 49 and 4thence to a milling-separator 50, and both of these machines should have only moderate suction to avoid overdrying of the wheat. From milling-separator 50, the wheat flows to another screw or spiral mixing-conveyer 51. Here, the wheat is mixed with water from supply tank 26,A which supplies water through a pipe 52, which is supplied with two valves, one of which regulatesthe flow of the water, while the other shuts it o entirely. lI'he water flows through, a high quality watcr'meter 52e, that is connected to this pipe, and registers the quantity of the water used in U. S. gallons. v Thel quantity of the water to be supplied and mixe/d with'the wheat in conveyer 51, will be all that is necessary to maintain the tempering and whitening process until the wheat reaches the rolls.' f Y.

From the conveyer 51, the wheat lows through a discharge-spout 5 4; to an elevator'- iis leg 55 which elevates it and discharges it into discharge spout 56 to a roll-supply bin Linares 7lfhis bin must have a capacity :tor storneiittn .oushel of Wheat tor each barrel i' the mills actual grinding capacity for i pour hours run. From supply ivheat flows into an automatic eelt-dumping Tweighing,"scale the Wheat into a eedover the first break-rolls. The "Wer should have a storage ca- IEur times that of the automatic scale 58. From the ceddiopper, lcvrs through a dischargaspout automatic teedgovernor 6l by to the iirst brealnrolls, of a whereby the Wheat is ground. successful conduct and operation i ering and Whiteningprocess, ias demonstrated that it requires Ly-six te forty-eight hours for the 2 t, e. from the time of the first of the wheat to the grinding in the ealag-rollsA 1^- aintain a suiiicient' Water-pressure ably about iii-'ty pounds) a suitable Jump 63 is installed in the boiler or ioni and is connected by pipes 64 e Water-tanks 14 and 26 which super to miningoonveyers. A. suitable utomatic pressure governor 65 is provided milate the steam passing to the pump use the pump to: automatically maintain arm. pressure in the Water-supply syspressurel gage 66 is located in the This Water-supply system is 6closed system. 4 he various machines described are driven aus of a line-shaft 67, counter and Flatts 68 69 and suitable belts and 1 Jieimpering and Whitening Wheat for the tied and in the manner set forth, preory to grinding, results in the manu? :o of a purer flour in separation, Whitei' in color, and with less Wheat per process known to me, and it is believed that these results are attained because the Water added by repeated wetting of the Wheat, for a lenig' period in advance ofthe grinding and. tempering produces a chemical action on the' Wheat, which bleaches the Wheat naturally, both internally and externally.

process thus set forth in connection with apparatus, thus exemplifies one in 'which the grain is automatically handled on time schedule, which causes the product to be unirorm in quality and whiteness. lllanifestly, the use of any chemicals, elecricity,'lime, hotair, live-steam, hot-Water, 'teamers or heaters, and the resultant deerioration or eect upon the lflour, are all v' ded.

alie precise practice set forth may be or departed from Within the scope u, than can be made from any other of the appended claims Without departing has been set forth extending over a period ranging from ,36 to 48 hours, it is believed that in a measure, the results sought may be attained if the tempering process lasts for a period of about 30 hours, though the best results are obtained from longer periods in tempering.

Having thus described the invention what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

-l. That improvement in the manufacture of flour, which consists in repeatedly Wetting the Wheat and tempering it for a period not less than thirty hours and then grinding thel tempered Wheat.

' 2. That improvement in the manufacture of flour, which consists in repeatedly Wettingthe Wheat and tempering it continuously for a period not less than thirty hours, and then grinding the tempered Wheat.

3. That improvement in the manufacture of flour, which consists in repeatedly yvetting the Wheat and tempering it for a period not less than thirty hours, cleaning' the Wheat between the wettings, and then grinding the tempered wheat.

t. That improvement in the manufacture of flour, which consists in repeatedly Wettino; the vvheat and tempering it for a period not less than thirty hours, cleaning; the Wheat between the vvettings Without discontinuing the tempering process, and then grinding the tempered Wheat.

5. That improvement in the manufacture otflour, which consists in repeated-ly Wetting the-Wheat, tempering it for thirty 4lhours or more to cause the moisture to penetrate and Whiten the interior substances of the Wheat-berry, and grinding the wheat without removing the moisture from the inter-4 nal substances of the Wheat-berry.

6. That improvement in the manufacture of flour, Which vconsists in repeatedly Wetting' the Wheat, tempering it for thirty hours or more to cause the moisture to penetrate and Whiten the interior substances of the Wheat-berry, cleaning the Whea between the Wettings, and grinding the Wheat leaving the moisture in the internal substances ot the Wheat-berry.

7. That improvement in the manufacture .of 1ouri which consists in repeatedly Wetting the Wheat, tempering 1t for thirty hours or more to cause the moisture to penetrate and Whiten the interior substances of the Wheat-berry, then subjecting the Wheat to a current of cold-air to aqualine the tempering, and grinding the Wheat with the moisture in the internal substances of the Wheat-berry.

8. That improvement in the manufaoture of ounwhich consists in cleaning the vvneat,

peatedly cleaning the wheat between the wetrepeatedly wettingthe wheat, and tempering it for thlrty hours or more to, whiten the internal substances of thewheat-berry, re-

tings without discontinuing the tempering process, then subjecting the wheat to a current of cold` air, then again wetting the Wheat, and then delivering the wheat to the first break-rolls. 4, n

9. That improvement in the manufacture .of flour, which consists in cleaning the wheat, repeatedly .wetting the wheat and tempering it for thirty hours orfmore to WhiteIIthe internal substances of the wheat- -berryf' repeatedly cleaning the wheat be- ,tween `the wettings, without discontinuing y the tempering process,then subjecting the vwheat to a current of cold air, then cleaning v'the wheat without interr'uptingthe temperingprocess, then again wetting the wheat, and then delivering the wheat to the Vrst break-rolls.-

10. That improvement in the manufacture i of flour, which consists in repeatedly wetting a measured'quantity' of wheat, with water in measured quantit and Atempering the wheat for a sulicient period to cause the moisture to penetrate and whiten the interior substances of thewheat-berry.

- 11. That improvement in the manufacture `of flour, which consists in wetting a measured quantity of wheat with water in measured quantity, tempering the .wheat for a sufficient period to cause Athe moisture to penetrate and whitenthe interior substances of the wheat-berry, and then passing it to the iirst break-rolls, and treating the wheat only with air which has not been artificially heated.

12. The process of treating wheat for the manufacture of iour, which consists in measuring water, and mixing it with a measured quantity of moving wheat, passing the mixture slowlythrugh a tempering bin on a time schedule, toy allow the moisture to penetrate the wheat kernels, and next conducting the moistened wheat through a cleaning machine for, cleaning the kernels. 13. The process of treating wheat for the manufacture of f1our,' which consists in repeatedly mixing water in measured quantity withwheat in transit at a known quan- A incense tity, passing the mixture slowly through tempering bins successively on a time schedules subjecting the wheat to the action ofk vcleaning machines for cleaning the wheat kernels'between the wettings, and subjecting the moistened wheat te the action of l cold air-currents before it iows to the first break-rolls.v y

14. The process of treating wheat for the manufacture of flour, which consists in mixing a measured quantity of water-with mov- 15. The process of treating wheat for the.

manufacture of'flour, which c-'pnsists in mixing water with the moving wheat at a known quantity, passing the mixture slowly through a tempering bin, having acapacity of six bushels of wheat for each barrel of the mills grinding capacity for twenty- Y four hours run on a time schedule, to allow the moisture to penetrate the wheat kernels,` and next conducting the moistened wheatv through a cleaning machine for cleaning the kernels.

16. 'The process of treating wheat for the manufacture of iiour, which consists in measuring water, and mixing it with moving wheat of a known quantity, passing the mixture slowly through a tempering bin on a time schedule, having capacitiesof six 4bushels of wheat for each barrel ofthe mills grinding capacity for twenty-four hours run, to allow the moisture toy penetrate the wheat kernels, next to clean the kernels, repeating like operations through tempering bins having capacities of four bushels and one-half bushels each, for each barrel of the mills grinding capacity for twenty-four hours run, and conducting the v wheat thence to a roll supply bin and thence to the first break-rolls.

CLARENCE A.- PATTERSN. Witnesses:

EDWARD LEES, MARGARET GAnNvns. 

